Panic Room
by bathbun
Summary: Smoochy Dreamer Fic. Stephanie and Jericho are forced to spend 24 hours with each other in the Panic Room, they are competing for $1,000,000 but how much can they take before they drive each other insane? THE FINAL CHAPTER IS UP!
1. Animal Instinct

**Panic Room.**

****

**Animal Instinct**

**Stephanie stared down Chris, her eyes glaring at him intently, watching his every movement, it seemed the world around her had disappeared and the only thing left was her hatred of Chris, it took over her and she could think of nothing else, surprisingly she was enjoying it, hating Chris made her feel some sense of power over him and she was revelling in it.**

**They had been stuck in the room for over an hour now, yet neither of them had hardly spoke a word, they realised what had been done. They had been shut in here, to settle their differences or to swallow their pride and admit their true feelings for one another instead of driving each other crazy, but Chris and Steph were determined to out do each other, to stare and hate each other out until the other one gave in, but it had happened yet.**

**To Steph, the room was feeling increasingly small and crowded, it's dark, murky manner began to haunt her, but she tried to forget it, the dampness of the walls stuck to her clothes as she lent back against the wall, sticking hard she darn't move in case of ripping her T-shirt, it wasn't only the damp conditions, she was thirsty and hungry, looking at Chris, hoping to entice him, she licked her lips in search of moisture for her dry mouth, running her smooth tongue over her dark red lips she smirked at Chris but he didn't reply, just the same cold angry expression. Silence filled the room, although they could still hear some faint noises outside, Stephanie didn't think her brother namely Shane suspected she could last this long in a room along with Chris, though he hadn't opened his mouth yet which surely would have made her crack. She had done it by just forgetting he was there and thinking of other things, almost as if she was in a different parallel universe, her body was there, lying against the damp wall staring at Chris who stood opposite her but her mind was in a different place and would remain there until Shane realised how stupid this idea was and open up the door and let her escape.**

**Chris looked over at Stephanie once more, she had not moved for ages, Chris didn't have a watch about it seemed he had been here forever, the only movement she had made was to lick her lips which he had just sneered at, he wasn't going to be seduced her, despite how desperate he was for a bite of something or a drink of water, the room was hot and his shirt clung to the wall, he was sweating profusely but to make this obvious to Steph would show he was weak and there was no way he was going to lose this. There was money at stake, yeah, I guess Steph forgot to tell you about that.**

**If they could stay in the room together for 24 hours, with hardly any drink or food they would be awarded $1,000, if one person forfeits, then the other person gets there share of money as well as their own winners for sticking out the 24 hours, it wasn't just about the money though, it was more of a personal challenge. Stephanie in his eyes had more to prove, I mean she was the one who had been insulted and teased by him for over a year now, I suppose she wanted to do to show him she was strong, an McMahon and was not afraid of Chris Jericho. Chris was there to deny her of this belief and make her forfeit and cry once again.**

**Stretching his leg out, yawning a bit, he looked over at the iron door a small trickle of light coming through the cracks, maybe he should just sleep for half the time, that would pass away the hours, but it was obvious Shane had thought of that and done as much as possible to prevent, the ground was hard and unforgiving, he had only provided them with one blanket each, knitted and thin it was hardly going to be comfortable.**

**Chris suddenly looked over as there was movement outside the door, it watched Steph's glance as she looked towards the door as well, movement towards the door could only mean one thing…food.**

**Two feet appear at the bottom of the door and slowly, almost agonizing for Steph and Chris, a hand leaned down and pushed under a long bar of chocolate.**

**Chris stared at chocolate, his mouth watering, it lay in the middle of a room, the light shining on it, he would have instantly ran forward and grabbed it but there was one problem….Stephanie.**

**She stood opposite him, on all floors, rather like a cat, her talons out, staring at the chocolate, ready to strike. Chris put his hands forward, they were now both eye level, each determined to get the bar, they didn't even consider the idea of sharing, it was winner takes all, the loser…forced to watch the winner eat , smirks and gloating included, in this case to them both, it seemed the ultimate shame.**

**They stared each other down, each waiting for the other to make the first move….**

**Waiting…**

**Waiting…**

**They both leapt out, hands outstretched, Chris felt the smooth wrapper of the chocolate under his fingers when Stephanie slapped him hard across the face, he pulled back, letting the chocolate slip from his fingers…**

**Stephanie grabbed it, pulling it to her body but Chris was quick, he wasn't going to let it get away so easily…he charged at her, knocking her face first onto the ground, he didn't intend to have any mercy and this was no exception.**

**He pulled the bar from her sharp hands and ran back to his corner of the room, a gleaming smile upon his face as he clutched his prize.**

**He looked back at Stephanie , beaten and snarling like a cat, she grudgingly sat back up and sulked in her corner, refusing to let herself cry as Chris opened up the wrapper, the beautiful brown of the chocolate right in front of his mouth as he took a huge first bite…**

**"Ummmm." Chris smiled, crunching away at the chocolate, as Stephanie had no other choice but to watch and live with it.**

**To be Continued….**


	2. The Sun Dial

Panic Room 

**The Sun Dial.**

**                It had been over ten minutes since Chris had finished the chocolate bar, on his last mouthful, which he had enjoyed immensely and of course made this known to Stephanie who still had not had anything to eat. He crunched up the wrapper into a little ball and threw it up several times, it did not go very high and it id not bounce but it kept Chris's hands in motion until he became bored of the wrapper and subsequently threw it against the opposite wall with a great force, a normal ball with such force would hit with a loud bang and most probably bounce back but this wrapper only just made it to the wall by Stephanie's feet.**

**Stephanie watched the wrapper land at her feet, the silver paper had once been filled with chocolate and gorged in Chris's disgusting, slimy mouth for her to see and to be jealous of, but she was determined not to let it affect her for she was going to win this money, at this very moment she would rather die then let Chris have the satisfaction of knowing that he had got one over her.**

**Surprisingly the couple had not spoke yet, each thought that if stuck in a room together they would insult and bite each other's heads off (not literally of course) until their throats were dry and they could not speak no more, but they had stayed quiet, just watching each other, not that there was anything to watch, the two just sat there, backs against the wall, legs stretched forward, Chris had laid his legs out uncaringly although Stephanie wanted to keep her dignity and feminity and kept one leg over the over so not to give Chris any personal eye-candy.**

**The only light came through the slits in the door and one high window, ironically blocked by iron bars as if the room was a prison, to be honest it was a prison really, one bare room except for one corner where a bucket lay.**

**You can probably guess what the bucket was for and neither Chris or Steph had dared to use it yet, Stephanie for one was use to clean, glamorous, exquisite bathrooms and it would be against her personal morals and standards to excrete in a bucket, especially against her arch-nemesis Chris Jericho, no, they was no way, she would hold on 24 hours and anyway with the meagre rations they were getting anyway she would hardly need to go at all.**

**Another five minutes past, as Stephanie watched Chris and then the window, the window was far more pleasant to watch but overall Chris was the only thing in the room to watch so she was constantly glancing over at him, as if her eyes need some kind of stimulation, they could live by just staring at a blank wall all day.**

**The room had provided them with a few tools, a piece of chalk, paper, pen, she guessed that they wanted them to write some kind of journal whilst they were here, not that they was anything to write about, if she was doing a journal on Chris, it would be like, hour 1, moved leg, hour 2, won the chocolate bar, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, hour 3, played with wrapper…the journal would be idiotic and pointless, she would remember everything that happened, it would not be that hard.**

**She looked over at the chalk, it was quite small and blunt but would be enough to make some kind of markings on the wall, she then looked over at the window, the sun streaming in through the spaces between the bars casting light beams and shadows on the floor, looking at this an idea hit her and normally she would have dismissed the idea but after being here for what seemed forever, any idea to stimulate her mind with these few materials she would welcome with glee.**

**Chris stared at the wrapper, wondering whether he should go get it again, but it was right by Stephanie's leg and after winning the chocolate bar he wondered if she might slap him right across the face again, he wasn't sure whether the wrapper was worth the pain…maybe he could go get some of the paper and make an aeroplane…fire it right at Stephanie's face! He laughed to himself at the thought, yes, would be sweet.**

**Suddenly for the first time, they seemed to be movement inside the cell, Chris watched with interest as Stephanie pulled herself up very slowly (she had been in the same position for over an hour) and grabbed a piece of chalk, she then leant down and began drawing lines on the floor, co in siding with the light on the floor.**

**Chris felt if they were ever going to speak, this would be as good time as ever, with her drawing weird lines for the ground, maybe this was the first sign that she was going crazy, not that he cared but if she did go crazy, then his life could be risk. Stephanie non- crazy was bad enough.**

**"Err…what are you doing?" asked Chris in an annoyed tone, he didn't want to sound too interested.**

**"None of your business." She snapped back, continuing to draw the lines.**

**"Fine….bitch." Chris mumbled back, resuming his position against the wall.**

**There was silence between the two again, well apart from the scratching of the chalk, but surprisingly Stephanie spoke, addressing Chris.**

**"I'm making a sun dial, so we can tell the time and how long we have spent in here."**

**"Oh right." Chris replied, that was actually a pretty good idea, he would never have thought Steph would think of something like that. "So do you know the time?"**

**Stephanie took his question seriously and stared at the lines thoughtfully.**

**"I'm no expert, but I think it's about 3.00."**

**(It was actually 3.30 so she was only half an hour out.)**

**Chris sat back against the wall, 3.00 was a major disappointment, it meant he had only been in here for three hours and there was 21 hours to go, 21 hours it sounded like forever and he couldn't go to sleep till it began to dark, he was the kind of person who couldn't sleep unless it was pitch black with no distractions.**

**"Great." Muttered Chris, he looked over at Stephanie who had now resumed her position against the wall, the sundial supposedly finished.**

**There was a quiet smirk on her face, as if she had got one over him, he wasn't sure what, maybe it was the fact that he was the one who spoke first, well she didn't have to reply…. thought Chris. She's the one who told him the time, maybe it wasn't even the right time, maybe they'd only been here an hour and she had tricked him, he wouldn't put anything past her, she'd spent her life manipulating and tricking people. Her smirk made him sick.**

**I hate Stephanie. **

**I hate Stephanie.**

**I hate Stephanie.**

**Chris repeated in his mind.**

**To be Continued…**


	3. Shut up Bitch

**Panic Room**

**Shut up Bitch.**

**The sundial still lay in the centre of the room, the light shining onto it. Chris sat watching the light, he didn't know how it worked but just by watching it he hoped to see the light move just to show that time had passed, however slow. He had to admit being stuck in a room with Stephanie McMahon was the hardest thing he had ever done. In the three nearly four hours they had spent together, they had hardly spoke at first Chris was glad of this as past experiences of her screeching voice was enough to drive anyone insane but in some way he missed it, when you are stuck in a room with nothing to entertain you, talking seems to be the only outlet for any kind of brain stimulation and he seriously considered talking to Stephanie, who sat across the room from him.**

**Stephanie looked Chris up and down, her head didn't move very far as he was sitting down, but she analysised his clothes and figure. He was wearing a normal pair of sneakers, Nike Air Max, to his credit or not so depending your point of view Stephanie predicted he was quite into fashion and designer labels, which was probably the only thing they had in common or may be just the fact they both have a lot of money and buy good quality clothes with it.**

**He also fitted leather trousers, which fitted snugly but not to snugly if you know what I mean, Stephanie forced herself no to look in that direction, naturally she was a woman and Chris was a very good looking guy, well endowed and all but any sign that she actually 'admired' him in that way would signifying almost total humiliation so when looking at him, she sneered and smirked as possible so not to give anything away.**

**On his top, he wore an ice-hockey shirt, very baggy but white, so in some places see-through. She wasn't into ice hockey so she had no idea what team, but they were all the same to her, it didn't really matter what team they were, they just skated and hit each other with sticks.**

**Around his neck, he wore a sliver cross chain, she didn't suspect him as being religious but it didn't really match the rest of his outfit so it definitely wasn't for fashion reasons, puzzling over his chain made her realise how bored she really was. **

**As she stared at him, Chris caught her eye and surprisingly smiled back at her though she doubted it was a nice smile, just to smile to make her feel embarrassed at she had been looking at him.**

**She quickly turned her attentions to the sundial before scrawling the chalk over the floor next to her, careful not to catch his eye again.**

**She so likes me, thought Chris, there was no doubt that she had been checking me out,**

**Chris didn't see himself as being cocky, it was so obvious, he knew it before they even came in here, the way she looked at him, the way she blushed when he came close to her, sooner or later she would snap and be at his mercy. For a moment Chris imagined her on the floor, begging him to be with her…maybe she would be naked…no that was going to far, thought Chris shaking his head out of the fantasy.**

**He looked over at Stephanie again and wondered whether he should ask her what the time was on the sundial, but in his mind it sounded too forced, too almost desperate, as if he really wanted to talk to her. But he did, he did want to talk to her but he didn't want to make it sound as if he really wanted too, it had to be relaxed, almost uninterested, maybe if he insulted her…**

**"So how did you learn how to make the sundial?" Chris asked, quietly, staring at the floor.**

**Stephanie didn't look up at him either, it was difficult to tell what she was thinking she was her aim in the first place, she didn't want Chris to think she was excited by his question.**

**"I learnt it in Physics, at high school." She said coldly. "Though I don't suppose you would know, being a high school dropout." She snapped back.**

**That was completely unnecessary, thought Chris and although he wanted to let it just go by, he was incensed by the idea of Steph getting the first word.**

**"Hey, the only reason you got straight A's is because you slept with all the teachers, though I guess you weren't good enough for straight A*'s!" smirked Chris, proud of his comments, he had finally got Stephanie's attention as she sat up and stared angrily at him.**

**"Jackass."**

**"Whore."**

**"Living Has Been!" Stephanie snarled.**

**"Oooo, I'm so hurt." Chris laughed.**

**"Shut up Bitch." **

**"Slut."**

**The two continued to insult each other back and forth, each not wanting the other to get the last insult.**

**"Tramp."**

**"Asshole."**

**"You know what, I'd rather drink burning acid, then be stuck another minute here with you." Said Chris.**

**"Go on then, what you waiting for."**

**"Er, do you see any acid around here?"**

**"Well I don't you just quit, be better for both of us."**

**"No, you quit, you're a failure here, not me, if you haven't forgotten I'm the Undisputed Champion." Chris boasted.**

**"Fluke Champion."**

**"Your just jealous, the closest your get to gold is your fake earrings."**

**"And the closest your get to a girl, is your mother!"**

**For the first time in several minutes, there was silence as Chris and Stephanie said at each other angrily from their sides of the room. If looks could kill, they would both be dead and neither showed any sign of weakening until Chris finally stepped back and relaxed a little, leaning his back against the wall.**

**"Whatever." Chris said.**

**"Ha Ha, you lost."**

**"Lost what?"**

**"You couldn't think of an insult so you just said 'Whatever'." Smiled Stephanie.**

**"Hey, there aren't another insults under the sun to describe you."**

**"Well I won anyway."**

**"Please, you can't win over me, the fleas on my dog are higher up than you." Chris sneered.**

**"Go to hell."**

**"Not if your there."**

**There was silence again and this time they were silent for so long, they wouldn't be able to recover the conversation, it had past and unless they started a new one, which Stephanie highly doubted would happen, they were condemned to sit once more in silence.**

**Stephanie went over to look at the sundial. 4.30, they had been here 4 and ½ hours, time seemed to have stopped for it felt like they had been here for days, the room was like a different world, cut-off from the outside world, hours and minutes had a new meaning and it would take some time to get use too.**

**But I suppose, one good thing had come out of the last hour, they had their first conversation and however brutal it was, it could only mean a step forward.**

**Couldn't it?**

**To be Continued….**


	4. Food Fight

**Panic Room.**

**Food Fight.**

**5.00. **

**The small window that entered into the room was beginning to get dark, and there was little light shining onto the sundial, Which sent a thought of worry through Stephanie, since if there was no light they wouldn't be able to tell the time, which at the moment was her only vision of hope, knowing that however slowly time was indeed passing by.**

**The War of Words between Chris and her had left a tense atmosphere in the room, although it happen half an hour ago, wounds and words were still fresh in both their minds.**

**Who the hell does he think he is? Thought Stephanie, staring intensely at him, he should be bowing down to me, I'm a McMahon for Christ's sake, I might even be his boss so day, well probably not, she smirked. He would have been sacked way before then, although maybe Dad could just keep him on doing Heat or something, and then she would have the pleasure of firing him.**

**            Chris knew Stephanie was thinking about him, the way she was staring at him was so obvious yet Chris debated whether it was good or bad thoughts, probably good thoughts, he decided, she so fancies me. With that belief, Chris always thought he had one over Stephanie, she was the weak link here, she was the one who had feelings, maybe he thought he could do something to himself, something that would make Stephanie reveal her feelings or even better, surrender the game and then the sweet $1,000,000 would be his, but when your stuck in a room, with just her, a bloody sun dial and a few other useless bits and pieces, you kinder have limited options. More frustratingly he had 24 hours to think over these limited options and release there was no way out.**

**            A sound of footsteps broke the silence and both Chris and Stephanie gave a quick glance at each other before looking towards the solid steel door, they waited, nether of them wanting to go towards it first, but in the back of Stephanie's mind she remembered a similar time when they had heard footsteps. It was when the chocolate had come, a frown came across her face, bitterness swirling around her as she remembered how Chris had got that one chocolate bar, she wasn't going to let that happen again…**

**She sprang forward towards the door like a cat. Chris just stayed in his spot, laughing at her.**

**"What are you on?" He laughed as Stephanie sat by the door.**

**She just ignored him as the footsteps drew closer and stopped outside the door, very slowly someone dropped a tray onto the ground and slid it underneath the door. Stephanie immediately caught it in her hands, savouring the fact that she had got it first.**

**"What's that?" asked Chris curiously, pulling himself up.**

**Stephanie just smirked at him as she held the tray in her hand, on it was a plate with sausages, baked beans and mashed potato, and a can of coke, their evening meal in fact and Stephanie had got it.**

**"Look's like I've got the meal this time." Boasted Stephanie much to Chris' disgust, she sat down and peeled open the foil, taking one of the sausages in her hand and chomping into it.**

**"Ummm, this is so good." She said slowly, intentionally trying to antagonise her enemy as she munched slowly on the sausage. Chris just stared at her, furious. He felt like running over and shoving all that mashed potato in her face, but he held himself back, he wasn't that bothered. He wasn't hungry, he was fine.**

**"Oh look, they gave us a drink as well, thank god, I mean I don't know about you but my throat is so dry, it will feel so good to have this ice cold drink, ummm, I can't wait." Said Stephanie. She opened up the can, with a loud snap, which made Chris feel even more like shoving the mashed potato in her face.**

**The temptation was almost getting too great, with her munching on the sausage that was until more footsteps were heard approaching the door and as Chris waited with anticipation, his wish came true when a replica of Stephanie's tray was passed through underneath the door.**

**He just smiled happily as she stared with outrage, she had never been more jealous in her life, Damn, she thought, for that one moment she had had one over him.**

**"Oh look, at this, it seems I have a tray too, oh yes, look it's got everything you have, a meal, a coke, I'm not really that hungry but man I'm going to enjoy this, neat little knives and forks don't you think?" laughed Chris as he sat down.**

**I hate you,.I hate you, I hate you, thought Stephanie as she twirled a piece of mashed potato on her fork, I hate you. **

**SMACK!**

**Stephanie flicked her fork and the mashed potato flew across the room, landing right on Chris' T-shirt. Stephanie realised trouble was about to happen, when Chris looked at the mashed potato, his face going red with rage. Stephanie waited nervously for him to look back up at him.**

**"You bitch!"**

**"Sorry." Steph laughed. "It just slipped."**

**Chris obviously didn't believe her, not that she made any attempt to prove that she was sincere and grabbed his fork full of mashed potato and flicked it over, landing on Stephanie's leg.**

**"Oooo, is that the best you can do?" She joked.**

**Bad mistake.**

**Chris immediately flicked over some beans, which this time was a better shot and landed on her shoulder, she replied with some more potato and it wasn't long before we had a food fight on their hands.**

**"Asshole!"**

**"Whore!"**

**Stephanie, abandoning the forks, grabbed as much potato as she could in her hand and ran at Chris slamming it onto his hair. Chris threw a sausage which was smeared over her face, she couldn't see for a moment and staggered around, screaming as she tried to get the meat juice out of her eye. It was plenty of time for Chris as he grabbed the pot of baked beans, throwing at her face. She screamed in surprise as her jacket was dyed orange, food or no food she charged angrily at Chris.**

**Shane had taught her from a early age how to knock someone to the ground and she used this knowledge here as she speared Chris at the knees, he fell back and from the momentum Stephanie fell onto of him.**

**Chris looked up, smiling when he saw that she was lying on top of him.**

**"Err, Steph I knew you liked me but is this really appropriate." He laughed. "What are you doing?"**

**"This." Snarled Stephanie, grabbing Chris' tray and pouring the remaining contents over his face. "Eat this!" She shouted as Chris spluttered, trying to cover his face with his hands.**

**She climbed off of him, throwing the tray on the ground. "Deal with that Jericho, and unlike you, I've got a lot more where that came from, so just stay the hell out of my way!"**

**"Steph, I think that's gonna be hard since we'll shut in this room together."**

**"No it isn't." She said, indignantly. She walked over to the sundial and picked up the piece of chalk, she went to the centre of the room and drew a line across the middle.**

**"You are not allowed to cross this line for the rest of time, I stay on this side, you stay on that side." She ordered.**

**"Fine by me, you smell like garbage anyway." Sneered Chris, sitting against the wall. "I don't why we didn't think of that from the start."**

**"Good. Oh and no throwing stuff over either."**

**"Fine. But you've got the sun-dial!"**

**"I made it!"**

**"But how am I suppose to tell the time?"**

**"Ill tell you."**

**"So what is the time now?"**

**"about Five."**

**"Great." Muttered Chris, folding his arms. He was covered in a mixture of baked beans and mashed potato and it was too early to even go to sleep, I guess it was another couple of hours of staring into space again, there was no-one way he was going to talk to that witch anyway.**

**Steph looked over her jacket, it was ruined, thanks to him. It cost $200, that was probably more than the whole of Chris' outfit put together, yeah well she was going to buy a lot more expensive things with the money she was going to win from this, after five hours there was no way she was going to back out and somehow, she didn't know exactly how but she going to make Chris crack, but as she stared around the room, avoiding Chris of course, she realised she had a bigger more immediate problem.**

**She really needed to pee.**

**To be Continued….**


	5. Desperate Times

**Panic Room**

**Desperate Times.**

Although the light was dim, Chris could see Stephanie over on the other side, he had noticed she had been there for a while, but the food fight he had preoccupied his mind with other things, but now when his personal fantasists (not about Stephanie, I might add) began to dry up, his curiosity switched once more onto her and he realised there was something oddly strange…

He watched as she perched one leg over the top of another and then quickly changed positions once more, there was a sense of awkwardness on her face, as she constantly switched her legs around, trying to find a comfortable position on the hard stone floor.

It took him a few minutes to realise that this wasn't just about finding a comfortable position (which was impossible, in this room, this room was the opposite of comfort), it was far more entertaining than that., Chris laughed to himself as he realised the truth, a sign of weakness on Stephanie's part, which meant he had the upper hand, the point in matter was that Stephanie was desperate for a piss.

"You alright there?" He smirked, as he watched her change positions again.

"Fine, thankyou."

"You sure, you look a bit uncomfortable." He laughed again, no sign of concern in his face.

"Shut up, potato boy." Stephanie snarled back.

Chris looked down at his clothes and realised he still had food all over him from the fight previously but what was the point of washing it off, he had no where special to go.

"Drip, Drop, Drip, Drop, Drip, Drop." Chris sang aloud, trying to get a slow beat going. "Drip, Drop, Drip, Drop, Drip, Drop."

"Stop it." Stephanie said in an annoyed tone, her patience and her bladder tiring.

"I think I'm allowed to sing whatever I want." Chris cooed, continuing his 'song'.

"You're just doing it on purpose."

"Doing what?"

"That song."

"Why would I do that?"

"You know why."

"Maybe I don't, maybe I just like the sound of trickling water, or maybe I should do the gushing of a waterfall…." 

"Very funny Chris, but I'm not going to give in to your stupid water tricks, I can hold on."

"You look pretty desperate."

"Yeah, well, id rather wet myself then use that bucket, especially in front of you." 

"Urghh, don't give me that image please, yuck." Chris grimaced.

"So are you gonna pretend for two minutes to be a kind, courteous person and turn away?" She asked.

"No." Chris laughed. 

"Typical."

"You shouldn't have drank all that coke, well I did pour all off my mine over you as well, so you kinda were drenched in it." Chris chuckled to himself. "But you see you can't last the rest of the night, you're desperate enough as it is and sometime you're going to have to go."

"No way in hell I'm I going in that bucket."

"Then your have to quit, and all that delicious money comes to me."

Stephanie slumped back down against the wall, pressing her legs hard together, she couldn't quit. She would never live it down but there would nothing in this whole experience that would be more humiliating than peeing in that bucket in front of Chris Jericho, but did she have any choice, I guess she wait till he went to sleep, would he ever go to sleep?

"Rain drops, are falling on my head." Sang Chris, smiling at Stephanie. "Looks like it's going to rain gain, drip drop falling on my roof…."

"Right that's it, I'm not going to be tortured by you anymore." She said, climbing up and walking towards him.

"Hey, remember the line!" Chris said. "You made it up remember, you can't cross this line." He said, pointing to the line which lay at Stephanie's feet.

"Well then tiger, lets hope you don't have to go, because the bucket is on my side." Boasted Stephanie.

"So you just going to go then, right in front of me." Said Chris, not believing that Stephanie would do it.

"No, I'm not going to give you the pleasure of seeing me in that position." 

She went over to the top of the room, where the window lay, the line, drawn in chalk ran through the middle of the pile of equipment they had, it wasn't much, just a couple of sleeping bags, some toilet roll, a torch, a game of Twister! (what were they thinking!) and some other rubbish, more was actually on Chris's side but she grabbed a sleeping bag and a small piece of toilet roll and went over to the bucket.

"So you gonna turn away?"

"Fine." Muttered Chris facing his back to the wall, he didn't want to look and there was that small moral part of him that realised that even Stephanie McMahon deserved a little privacy, but when he heard the trickling into the bucket, he couldn't help but just peer over.

She had constructed the sleeping bag well, she had crouched down, holding the sleeping bag over so not nothing was in view, he couldn't even see her face, which he supposed was a good thing because then she couldn't see what he was looking at her-hell am I still looking at her!" Chris gasped, switching round back to the wall.

The trickling stopped, and Stephanie using the toilet roll, sorted herself out, still amazingly keeping the majority of the sleeping bag in place.

"Done and dusted." She said confidently as she laid the sleeping bag on the floor, sitting on top of it.

Chris relucntedly turned round to face the boastful and smiling Stephanie. 

"I think I may go to bed soon." She smirked.

"Good." Chris snarled nastily, but underneath he couldn't help but admire her. It took guts to pee in front of your enemy and even more so, managing to keep that sleeping bag in place. Yeah, Stephanie had guts he had to admit that and that's why it was going to be even harder to win this thing…

**To be Continued**


	6. Goodnight Sweetheart

**Panic Room**

**Goodnight Sweetheart.**

The room was dark, maybe even a little misty, tight and not in the least cosy, Stephanie shuffled uncomfortably in her sleeping-bag, although it was soft she could still feel the hard unforgiving floor beneath her and she desperately pulled at any loose material to serve as a pillow. She stopped fidgeting for a moment and realised she could hear shuffling from the other side of the room and she realised that Chris was having the same problem getting to sleep. Good, she thought to herself. I hope a bug crawls up his nose and into his already huge head, not that anything is inside it, just a hollow mean evil skull. Well she shouldn't have to cope with him much longer, by the time she got to sleep and having actually sleepen the 24 hours would be up and she would be free to go, money in her hand, obviously not the whole money because Chris would most probably be coming out the same time as her but at least she wouldn't have quitted, there would be nothing more humiliating than quitting thanks to him…

            Why can't I fucking get to sleep! Thought Chris as he rolled over once more, shifting his position, there was nothing more infuriating to him than this, then cold breeze whisked past his face and he forced himself to forget the conditions he was in and think about something, imagine a situation so strongly that this room would disappear and more importantly the people in it, being in here for over six hours made him realise they he couldn't stand being with her, around her 20,4,7, it was impossible, it was a match mad in hell which is probably why they came up with the stupid idea in the first day, well if they think that he is just going to turn around and make up, or make-out with Stephanie they had another thing coming…Chris thought indignantly, now why the hell can't I get to sleep?

            Stephanie shiverered, for the first time, she had felt lonely, she wanted to be a big bed, with warm covers and someone's arms around her, she wasn't sure whom at the moment but the fact of the matter was, she wasn't here.

She looked over at Chris who had his eyes closed, inside the bag, for a moment she felt compelled to speak to him, she was missing conversation and whether it be another barrage of insults at least sound would feel the room and it would be somewhat comforting.

"Chris." She said into the darkness, not sure whether she would get a reply.

Chris opened up his eyes, looking around the room, before realising Stephanie had called his name.

"What." He said annoyed.

"Nothing." She replied, back a small smile forming on her face. "Just checking to see if you were still awake."

"Well I am now, thanks to you." Muttered Chris gruffly.

"Do you want to go to sleep then?"

"Yes!"

"Ok then." She laughed. There was silence once more, until Stephanie starting laughing once more.

"What the hell are you laughing at?"

"Nothing."

"Then shut up."

"Goodnight Sweetheart." She said, bursting into laughter.

"Very funny." Muttered Chris.

"Oh come on, aren't you gonna say it back, you know like old couples do before they go to sleep." 

"So what do you want me to kiss you on head as well?" joked Chris.

"No, you can't cross the line remember."

"Ok then……….Goodnight Sweetheart." Chris said in his sweetest voice.

"Awww, I feel all fuzzy inside!" joked Steph curling up in her sleeping bag.

"Well I do have that effect on people." Chris boasted mockingly. "Ok, I've done my bit, can I go to sleep now?"

"Yes."

"Fine. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Stephanie giggled quietly to herself. "Chris." She said, looking over at him.

"What." He replied impatiently.

"Nothing." She giggled again.

"Oh for Gods Sake, what are you four?"

"Goodnight Sweetheart." She said again. "Sweet dreams."

"Oh darling, Of course they will be sweet, Ill be dreaming of you." Joked Chris.

"OK I betta go to sleep now." Said steph, bringing an end to their little game.

"Hey fine by me.

Chris sat down into his sleeping bag, closing his eyes, he expected Stephanie to say something again but it was silent, he did want to go to sleep but part of him was a bit disappointed.

He looked over, seeing her sprawled on the floor, her brown hair resting lazily on her back, she smiled as she sighed and rolled over resting her head on her arms. She looked pretty, like a purring cat.

He smiled to himself, not sure why but he was happy, at least there was someone here, he may hate her still, but at least there was someone to give some sort of company.

"Goodnight." He said quietly to the sleeping Stephanie, before closing his own eyes…

**To be Continued….**


	7. The Nightmare

Panic Room.

The Nightmare.

Stephanie stood in the meadow, the grass swayed beneath her as she looked upon the endless green that it was, she wasn't sure but I small cluster of trees could be seen at the far end, and something made her want to run to them, she began running happily across the meadow, like a free bird, she almost leapt up into the sky. But as she neared the trees, she stopped. Eeriness came over and she suddenly realised that the meadow had gone and she surrounded by the dark, tortuous trees that loomed over her.

"Steph." Someone called from the black undergrowth. "Steph!"

"Hello?" She answered back, but the only reply was the rustling of the leaves, not was until out of no-where a tall figure appeared from a tree, it was almost as if he had been inside the trunk. Although it was dark, she recognized the person at once and she was happy once more.

"Hunter!" She cried, throwing herself into his arms. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you, where have you gone?" She cried, waiting for an answer. Hunter smiled back, caressing her cheek.

"I've always been here, I'm right here Steph."

"I thought you were gone."

"Look Steph, come with me, I want to show you something." Hunter grabbed Steph's hand and led her through the woods, they didn't seem so scary anymore now that Hunter has by her side.

"Look!" He said, pointing forward. Stephanie looked and gasped in amazement, they were standing on the edge of a cliff, looking over at the blue smooth sea, an island lay in the middle and it was what was on that island that made her gasp so.

"It's a castle."

"Yes and that's where going to live, so we be together forever." He sighed happily, he put his arm around her waist and they both looked out towards the castle.

"It's so beautiful." She grinned, for a moment the two stood in silence and then Steph looked up to kiss him but to her horror, his face slowly changed and as she leaned it, she realised she was face to face with Chris Jericho…

"Hi baby." He smiled evilly, he kissed her quickly on the lips as Steph looked on bewildered.

"Chris?"

"Sorry Steph, but I have to do this."

Before Stephanie could react, Chris pushed her hard and she toppled forward, desperately trying to grab on anything, anywhere she screamed in terror as her body slid over the cliff side and her world seemed to stop as she looked at falling Cliffside as the body crashed into the smooth blue sea………

She awoke with a start, her face hot and sweaty, it took her a moment to realise that she was in the panic room and not at home in her own bed, she was startled once more as a torch light was shone abruptly in her face, she leapt back as she realised that Chris was holding the torch light and at above her bed.

"What the hell do you think your doing!" She shouted, shielding her eyes from the light.

"What the hell I'm doing! I should be asking you the same thing, I woke up to the sound of screaming your bloody head off!"

"Oh." Stuttered Stephanie, trying to regain her composure. "I was having a nightmare."

"Oh for Gods Sake." Moaned Chris. "I can never get a moments fucking peace."

"Well it was about you." She snarled back.

"Oooo, so you're dreaming about me now?"

"I know in your dreams you imagine us having some kind of 'hot' 'passionate' liaison.."

"Hey, you were the one screaming in pleasure." Laughed Chris.

"I was screaming because you had just pushed me off a cliff!"

"Shame it couldn't have been real then."

"Oh fuck off Chris."

"you fuck off."

"This is just stupid, I'm going back to bed."

"That was what I was trying to do."

"You didn't have to come over, you know, you could have just left me to go back to sleep….I think you were concerned."

"I was no way in hell, concerned, I was just angry you woke me up."

"Whatever." Sighed Steph, as she lay back down in her sleeping bag. The nightmare though was still so fresh and vivid in her mind, it did feel like real life. Did she miss Hunter that much? She didn't know, she hadn't really thought about it, I suppose if you miss someone you would think about them constantly but Hunter had not been in her mind lately though at the moment, she was thinking about escaping this horrid and claustrophobic atmosphere, don't worry she thought, just go to sleep and it be morning before you know it and then this will all be over….

Chris sat in the room, his own room. Everything was the same, just a little distorted, his posters on the walls, his wrestling trophies stood high, it was like just before he left for University. He sat on the bed and he knew he was expecting someone, but he didn't know who, his excitement raging inside of him, the door suddenly opened and slowly Chris sat down on the bed excitedly as Stephanie's heels clicked on the floorboards, she stood by the bed, smiling down on him. Chris sat up, looking at her, captivated by her beauty, he was under her spell as she leaned forward onto the bed, although she didn't touch him. Chris felt as if he was being pushed down as she climbed on top of him. Vibrations pulsated through his body as hers touched his, she brushed his cheek and whispered something in his ear, but he couldn't remember it, it was like he was in a trance.

"Your so…your so…." He mummered but before he could end his sentence she put his finger to his lips and smiled, almost telling him telepathic that there was no need for words.

They kissed, warm shivers ran down his body as he longed desperately for her lips, her body teased his as the burning sensations grew stronger.

"Steph." He murmured as he felt himself move slowly into her, she murmured back as she clung to his back slowly pulling him upwards.

"Steph, we can't." He said, though it didn't want to say the words.

"Why not sweetheart?" She sighed, kissing him again.

"Because I said I wouldn't have any dreams about you, like this."

"But we'll so close…."

"But I want to win…" He said back.

"You will, you'll win me." She smiled back and that moment the sensation over came and he gave in, it was just him and Stephanie as pleasure pulsated through him….

            "Holy Shit!" Chris said aloud, jumping up out of his bag, staring at the blank wall ahead of him. He couldn't believe he had just dreamt that, oh god, what he was thinking. He looked over at the sleeping Stephanie but quickly turned away in disgust. It was just a dream, I hate her, that evil bitch, and it doesn't mean anything.

Chris said that to himself over again in his mind as he settled back down, he had dreams about lots of girls, some in hadn't even met and Steph was just fresh in his mind, doesn't mean I have sexual feelings for her, its normal, its fine, it doesn't mean anything, It was just a dream….Chris reassured himself.

He looked around once more, not that there was much to look at and drew the conclusion that there was nothing else to do but go to sleep.

"Man, this room is driving me fucking insane." He muttered, before closing his eyes and going back to sleep.

To be Continued….


	8. Midnight Muses

**Panic Room.**

**Midnight Muses.**

Chris hit his head annoyance as he rolled over onto the hard floor. He moaned, as he realised that it was indeed not morning and he was still stuck in his room, it was pitch black and it took a moment for his eyes to adjust to his surroundings, his head banged. He didn't know why, probably because he was so frustrated about not being able to get to sleep. Though to be honest, he wasn't really that tired. It wasn't as if he had been doing anything since 12.00, just sitting in here arguing and having food fights with Stephanie, just a usual day then, laughed Chris to himself.

He looked over to see Stephanie, for lay in her sleeping bag, she looked asleep, in fact he could hear her snoring, hardly very princess like.

I wonder if they do have cameras in here? Thought Chris as he looked around at the bare walls, if they did they were well hid. They probably got a load of laughs seeing them fight it out, well ya gonna be disappointed, he sneered, there was no way he was going to break down and start crying, or most of all quit.

Realising that he couldn't get to sleep, Chris stood up. He climbed out of the sleeping bag and walked around the room, Stephanie was sound asleep snoring away and with her having no conscience of what was going on around well, Chris smiling as he did stepped over the chalk line she had used to separate the room, he hadn't just done this to look clever or for fake spite it had did this for a reason, he needed to look at the sun-dial.

It was had to make out the lines, by a small splinter of light reflected from the moon brushed onto the lines and it the best Chris could understand it, he guessed it was about midnight.

"Is that it!" Chris exclaimed, thinking it was way past that, he still had the whole night to go yet. When someone was normally bored, they would result to sleep, if you ever watched Big Brother, you would realise they slept most of the dayand emerged in the evenings for alcohol fuelled parties etc, but sleeping was just annoying for Chris, he needed some kind of mind stimulation.

Chris looked around for inspiration, there were a few bits of pieces by the window and he went over to have a look what was on offer.

A torch, well he knew that already having shone it in Stephanie's eyes after she strated screaming the place down.

A few measly looking blankets, 

Pens and paper, maybe he could write a story or a screenplay. That's probably how writers came up with stories, just shut themselves in empty rooms and start writing from imagination.

First Aid Kit. If the fighting got really bad.

A cell-phone. In case of emergencies, like someone going insane or someone murders the other person. Looks like they had confidence in us, thought Chris.

And lastly but probably the most exciting thing on offer, the game of Twister.

As Chris opened it up, and pulled out the mat, he was half tempted to wake Stephanie up and ask her to play, not because he wanted to play with her but at least it was something to pass away the hours.

He laid it out, on the floor, jumping from the blue to the green to the red. It gave him a kind of rush as it had been a while since he got some exercise, not that jumping from circle to circle was 'exercise' but hell Chris was enjoying it….

"Hey, get out of my area!"

Chris looked round to see Stephanie peering up from the bag, her brown hair wavy and untidily around her face, her piercing eyes staring at him angrily.

"What the hell are you ding, you're over the line!"

"Errr, hey wanna play Twister?" laughed Chris, but there was a note of seriousness in his question.

"No I don't want to play Twister, I want you to get out of my area and I want to go to sleep!"

"Yeah well, if anyone needs their beauty sleep, its you." Snapped back Chris.

Stephanie bit her tongue as she just tried to ignore Chris' comments, there was silence for a moment until from her bed Stephanie could hear a shuffling sound.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm moving the Twister mat over, so it's not in your precious 'area'" He replied, sarcastically.

"But you can't do that, it was in my area originally, you can't take it out."

"Well it looks like it just did."

"Can't you just go to sleep, like a normal person."

"Well with the combination of the hard floor, this room and your snoring, I'm finding it very difficult!"

Stephanie felt a touch of sympathy from within and decided on a compromise.

"Fine."

"So I can take the twister mat?"

"No, I want to play a different game." Stephanie said, like a spoilt child.

"Like what."

"Bring your sleeping bag over here.

"Steph, I know you like those games but it aint going to work with me." 

"For gods sake, I don't mean that, just come and sit over here."

Chris suspiciously brought his sleeping bag over and sat beside her.

"What kind of game is this?"

"Well, I'm going to ask you a sequence of choices and you have to say the first one that comes into your head." Said Stephanie energetically.

"Oh, that's boring."

"No it isn't, just give it a try."

"Great, fine, just give me the choices."

"Ok, just close your eyes and clear your head"

Stephanie sat opposite Chris as he grudingly followed her instructions. "Hurry up." He muttered impatiently.

_"Ok, what do you prefer the snow or the sun?"_

_"Sun."_

_"lots of money or lots of friends?"_

_"money."_

_"Football or hockey."_

_"Hockey."_

_"Monday or Friday."_

_"Friday."_

_"Dogs: Cute or Ugly?"_

_"Ugly."_

_"Am I beautiful, Yes or No?"_

_"Yes."_

Stephanie sat back, smiling to herself. "Ha, ha, in your face!"

"What!"

"You think I'm beautiful, you like me, you think I'm beautiful." Jeered Stephanie.

"No I didn't, I thought the question was asking whether I thought I was beautiful, you idiot, you're a two cent trash bag ho."

"Say what you want, but that game is foolproof, I know you like me Chris, there's no need to deny it."

"Get a life Steph, I know what I meant, I think I am beautiful, not you, me!"

"Don't worry Chris, I am a very attractive woman, your just going to have to join the queue."

"Oh please." 

"Fine we can do it gain and I bet you will say exactly the same." Offered Steph.

"No I think I'm going to ask you the questions this time." Said Chris confidently.

"Fine by me, though I have to tell, your feelings may be hurt."

"We'll see." Smirked Chris, as he thought up several possible questions in his head.

****

**To be Continued…**


	9. Can you feel the Chemistry?

**Panic Room.**

**Can you feel the chemistry?**

"Chris, your wasting your time, however much you want me to, I don't to have sex with you, in fact I don't even like being with you, and no amount of stupid tricks questions will change my mind." laughed Stephanie, mainly at the way he looked so pathetic now.

"Excuse me, every woman in this country would sell their own shoes just to get five minutes with me."

"Well its not as if you can go on for very longer," she sneered back.

"Your just bitter." muttered Chris, refusing to believe her last comment.

"Bitter about what?"

"The fact that I'm the one guy you can't have."

"Oh please."

"No its true, you think you got all men wrapped around your little finger, apart from me, your use to men begging for you and complimenting you to the earth's end, that was until I came along and had the guts and will-power to show you up for what you really are, that's why you hate me so much, cause you can't have me."

"Whatever Chris."

"Sorry Steph, but that's the bottom line, your gonna have to accept it sooner or later."

"Or what?"

"What?"

"What if I don't accept it."

"Then Ill make you." Smirked Chris, though to be honest he wasn't sure what he was going to make her too, he just liked to see the cracks appearing in Stephanie's attitude and conversation.

"How you going to make me accept the so called fact that I want you."

"Your see." Laughed Chris, to tell the truth he didn't have a clue what he was talking about but he refused to admit this and in a cocky in control manner he sat up and walked over to his sleeping bag.

"Where are you going?" asked Stephanie, annoyed that he had dismissed her like this.

"Well I would like to go to sleep some time tonight, it is 1.00am."

"How do you know that? I thought you couldn't read the sun-dial."

"Just a good guess then," laughed Chris.

Stephanie sighed with annoyance at his reply and shifted over to her sleeping bag, realising that this conversation was over, apart of her was glad but if she had a choice between trying to get some sleep and talking to Chris, she should have to get the latter. That does not mean for the record that she likes Chris, its just everyone needs company. Bad or good.

"Well of course, there is the other option." Said Stephanie coyly.

"And what is that?" asked Chris, a note of interest in his voice.

"There's always Twister."

"Oh yeah right, what do you take me for?"

"Hey, its just an idea, your choice, I'm just not very tired that's all and I'm trying to think of something to do."

"Sure." Said Chris, leaning against the wall as he looked over at the Twister board. "It's so obvious, what you want Steph."

"I don't want anything, I'm just bored you cunt."

"Steph, believe me, I know the type of game Twister is, its probably why they put it in here in the first place, bodies entangled, close contact…its just an excuse for you to get your hands on me."

"I wonder sometimes, how you got your big head through the door." Sneered Stephanie, crossing her legs as she sat down on the hard stone floor.

"Yeah, well, with my experiences I have the right to have a big head, unlike you, you've been a failure all your life."

"At least I'm not chicken!"

"Chicken? How the hell am I chicken?"

"Because you won't play Twister."

"Damn well I won't."

"Your scared because you might not be able to control yourself around me, you might get too 'excited' if you know I mean." Laughed Stephanie.

"What!" Chris gasped in indignation.

"Hey, only a theory, unless of course I hit a nerve." She sniggered, self-satisfied with herself.

"You did not hit a nerve…and you know what…to prove it….lets just see who is chicken," Chris exclaimed, as Stephanie watched half-laughing he marched over to the game, opening it up, he threw the cover across to Stephanie and opened up the mat, putting it on the floor, and stamping his feet onto it, to make it flat it in a definitely over-aggressive manner.

"Come on then, Miss Whore, lets play Twister!" 

"Right hand….green." Stephanie ordered as Chris staggered over placing his right hand on green. 

"Easy or what." He replied, as he spun the wheel for Stephanie.

"Left leg, blue."

Stephanie pushed her leg out underneath Chris' placing it gingerly on blue, they had been playing this game for several minutes and she found herself stretched out underneath him, she looked up at Chris, a smirk on her face.

"Enjoying this then?" Chris asked sarcastically, knowing that she couldn't possibly last any longer and that sooner rather than later she would topple to the floor and he would be declared the winner, it may only be in pride but that was enough.

"Well I do prefer being on top," smiled Stephanie.

"Back to the game please." Said Chris, refusing to fall for her little sexually ambiguous comments.

"Ok then, left hand…red," she strained, trying to regain her balance.

Chris stretched out but as he moved forward, he tripped over Steph's leg and fell forward onto his front, right and predictably onto Stephanie.

"Well hello, Mr Jericho." Laughed Stephanie as she looked up at his angry and annoyed face. "Your blushing Chris, I'm sure there's nothing you've got to be embarrassed about."

Chris replied by just splitting in her face before climbing off and kicking the mat over in anger.

"Oh darling don't be a sad loser, I just I'm just more….flexible…than you!" she jeered.

Chris looked down and checked he didn't have an erection, there would nothing more embarrassing than that, did he feel himself going hard when he was on top of her? He wasn't sure, anyway it didn't matter because he hated her and nothing was going to happen between them. Ever.

"So what are we going to do now?" asked Stephanie, like a little child.

"Fuck off." Chris muttered, grabbing a piece of chalk and drawing something on the wall.

"Your not gonna right anything crazy on there are you, like the guy in the shining, I don't want to be stuck in here with a madman."

"Then quit, then." Chris answered with no expression.

"No I'm not quitting, you quit.", 

"Then just shut up for once."

"Fine, I will."

"Good."

"Good." Steph snapped back, slumping in her sleeping bag and pulling the cover over her head, trying to block out her surroundings and more importantly the people around her, she would just love to hear someone else's voice right now, anyone apart Chris fucking Jericho.

Chris sat by the wall, doodling with the chalk, he wasn't even writing anything like Stephanie had said, but as he sat with his chalk in his hand he felt obliged to write something for her benefit.

_I hate Stephanie__. _He scrawled, double underlining the fact, that was the one thing he was sure of, and after the twister incident he was even more determined get his own back on her for good, he remembered the one time he did prove her wrong, Summerslam when he beat Rhyno, of course the main headline of that day was him kissing her for the second time, I might add. She stuck her tongue in his throat too and it was definitely not a sign that he liked her, he was using his head. He knew that the only way he could get her out of the match was doing that, he didn't like her, it didn't have an urge to kiss her, he wasn't attracted to her…it was all rubbish, total rubbish….Chris suddenly noticed that his hand was still writing on the wall with the chalk and he gasped at the results…_I hate Stephanie…..I love Stephan…_

Chris quickly rubbed out what he had wrote and underlined once more the hate part, for Gods Sake, first the dream and now this, was he really falling in love with Stephanie?

**To be Continued….**


	10. Sleepwalking

**Panic Room.**

**Sleepwalking.******

**Stephanie and Chris had been sitting in silence for a while now and it was uncomforting to Stephanie was getting increasing annoyed with Chris' mood swings, it was normally the girl who suppose to have mood swings, not men. I mean one minute he was all happy, one minute, he's all snarls and then the next which he is apparently on now, he says nothing at all and sits there, silently.**

**"So are we not talking now?" asked Stephanie indignantly.**

**"No."**

**"Yes we are, your purposely not talking to me, you've gone all grumpy again."**

**"We are talking now aren't we," he replied gruffly.**

**"You know what I mean."**

**"Well, when you've spent over 12 hours with one person and nothing else, you kinda run out of things to say."**

"Fine then, be like that, Ill guess ill just got to sleep then, if your not going to do anything." In the back of her mind she waited Chris to ask her to stay but when no answer came, she dismissed that thought and curled up in her sleeping bag.

"Goodnight." She muttered.

"Bye." Chris replied with no expression, which only infuriated Stephanie more, however she didn't want to sound too needy so she didn't answer back, he'll probably wake her up later anyway when he gets bored out of minds or filled the entire room with his stupid scrawls.  In order to get to sleep, however she knew that she had to get Chris out of her head. If there were too many thoughts swirling in her head, she couldn't possibly go to sleep and the fact that last time she went to sleep, she had terrible nightmare, which didn't exactly fill her with confidence.

Come on, only 10 hours to go, only 10 hours to go, she sighed to herself as she surprisingly drifted herself off into a drowsy sleep…

Chris threw the chalk up into the air, it hit the ceiling and thousands of white speckles showered down along with the remaining lump of chalk, he coughed as he brushed away the particles and sat down on his sleeping bag. This room was a nightmare in itself, even if he was with his best friend who wouldn't like it, it had psychological evil feeling about it, as if it was watched, watching till you become some bored your going insane.

"Don't worry chalky, I'm going to get out of here soon, and with $500,000 sweet cash, yeah I know I could try and get the whole million and make her quit but I can't think of how…I'm too tired to think, I just can't be bothered, you know I don't think she can be bothered either, whoever can up with this idea has wasted his time cause nothing is going to happen, is it chalky?"

There was no reply from chalky.

"Well, hey what do you know your just a piece of chalk, but I'm sure you can see the tension in here and no before you say, it's not sexual tension, I'd rather shag a guy than her, it probably be less dirty with a guy anyway." Laughed Chris. "I better go to sleep, shouldn't I, I'm not that tired but at least it will pass half the time away, lets just hope she doesn't snore again or have 'nightmares' god what a little baby." Chris put chalky down on the floor and settled under hid duvet. He looked up at the dark ceiling and smiled. "You happy now, I'm talking to a piece of chalk as they say the first sign of madness is talking to yourself even more so to a piece of chalk, well done room, you've made me go utterly insane!" Chris exclaimed laughing before closing his eyes once more.

Stephanie sat straight upright, looking wide-eyed around the room. She wasn't sure whether it was her or it was room, but it seems the floor was swaying beneath her, she climbed out and once more tried to establish the contents of the room, she spotted another figure namely Chris asleep on the other side room and she walked slowly towards him.

Kneeling by his head, she patted him slowly. 

"Chris." She murmured, patting him again. "Chris."

"What do you want." He stirred, still not opening his eyes as he pushed away from her glance.

"Where's our porridge gone?"

"What?"

"Where's our porridge gone Chris?" She asked again.

""We didn't have any porridge." Chris sighed. "Just go back to sleep, please."

But Stephanie in a possessed and eerie sort of way continued to stare at him, not moving from her kneeling position beside him.

"Sort yourself out Steph." Chris said, before closing his eyes and returning back to sleep. He wasn't sure how long he had been sleeping but when he awoke again, Stephanie was still there and this time, she sat on top of him, which just unnerved Chris even more. It was still pitch black but he could make out of the outline of her face and body and her deep green eyes which seemed to pierce into him. She didn't look real, it was if her body was there but she wasn't.

"What are you doing, get lost." He said, waving his arms about.

"You got too much pride, you just got to let it go." A voice said, it was then as he lay back surprised and shocked as Stephanie leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.

"Steph, are you sick?" Chris asked, she didn't look well, her face and lips were pale, it didn't look like she was looking at him, it was if she was looking through him.

"Steph?"

"Your really pretty." She said again and once more she kissed him, this time harder and longer and Chris not sure what was happening, found himself reciprocating. It must be a dream he thought, because it wasn't real, she wasn't sane like this, all he did know was as he continued kissing her, he knew that it felt eerily good….

Chris woke up and found himself shielding his eyes as a splinter of light fell onto his face. It was morning it must be, he thought, the light was strong and bright a definite sign that the seemingly endless darkness was over. He felt heavy as she tried to move from his duvet and it wasn't until then that he realised there was another person, a bit lower down resting on the side of the duvet by his side. It was Stephanie. Oh my God, had he slept with her? He quickly looked under the covers, he wasn't naked, he was still in his clothes, she was wearing clothes, good, but how had she got there? Images from the night came coming back….she coming over….something about porridge….and then….she kissed him…what happened after that? He couldn't remember, his mind had gone blank. At the moment she was sound asleep but he was hugely tempted to wake her up, she was the one who had come over, he needed to know the answer to the burning and confusing question in his head.

What had happened last night?

**To be Continued….******


	11. Scary Situation

**Panic Room.**

**Scary Situation.**

**Chris angrily sat up and threw away the duvet, with no concern for the sleeping Stephanie, who murmured and stirred as she was thrown sideways onto the floor.**

**She rubbed her hands on her face and slowly opened her eyes, her first sight being was a pacing and nervous looking Chris, realising Stephanie was awake, he began his assault.**

**"What the hell just happened here?" he asked angrily.**

**"What.? Is it morning?" mumbled Stephanie, pulling herself up as she shielded herself from the light.**

**"Damn well it's morning and for some strange reason instead of being over there." Chris pointed to Stephanie's empty bedding. "Your over here with me, what is up with that?"**

**"Oh my God, yeah." Said Stephanie, realising for the first time that she was next to Chris' bed. "Did we?"**

**"You're the one who should know," screamed Chris staring questioningly at her.**

**"I don't know, I'm confused, I just remember going to the bed after that game of Twister and well I guess I woke up here."**

**"Oh please, you must remember what happened last night."**

**"No, I don't." said Stephanie indignantly.**

**"Fine Ill guess Ill have to refresh your memory, I woke up and you were on top of me…."**

**"I should have know, I guess this time I was in one of your erotic fantasises, Chris I know you want me, but it wasn't real, it was just a dream, a dream," she said in a patronizing tone.**

**"No! It was real! You said something to me about porridge and then next thing I know, your kissing me!"**

**"Now I know your lying."**

**"Your were and you called me pretty."**

**"Give up Chris, this is just pathetic."**

**"No! I swear I'm telling the truth, I don't remember anything else until I woke up this morning and you were by the my side, how do you explain that, hey? How come you started off over there, and now you ended up here with me, explain that Steph?" He asked.**

**"I don't know ok, stop shouting at me, " she protested. "I just woke up and your just having a go at me, non-stop!"**

**"I just want a explanation, that's all."**

**"Well I'm sorry, but I don't remember a thing, I definitely didn't do on purpose, believe me." Muttered Stephanie.**

**"I tell you, this whole thing is freaking me out, I just wanna get out." Said Chris, rubbing his face with his hands as he walked up and down the room.**

**"Then just quit, don't drag me down in your misery."**

**"I'm not a quitter."**

**"Then just shut up and forget about it, for Gods Sake!" shouted Stephanie, Chris was increasingly infuriating her and when no reply came she lay back under the duvet, trying to block out his image, but after a moment it suddenly hit her how she ended up in Chris' bed.**

**"I was sleepwalking!" she said, sitting up and facing Chris.**

**"What?"**

**"Sleepwalking, you know what that is, sometimes I sleep walk when I'm really tired or in a strange place, I do stuff in sleep like walking and sleep elsewhere, I have no idea what I have done until the next morning and sometimes I end going back to my own bed so I don't have a clue, that's probably what I did."**

**"Oh and do you make-out with everyone when your sleepwalking?" Chris asked sarcastically.**

**"No, for your information," she sneered in reply.**

**"Well I guess when you're sleepwalking, your true feelings show through." He said in a cocky tone.**

**"Look, I can't be bothered to argue with anymore, just move on, ok, nothing serious happened anyway."**

**"It could of in your state."**

**"Hey, according to your story, it don't look like you pushed me away."**

**"Your shoved your tongue in my throat!"**

**"Spare me the details, I probably thought you were Hunter anyway, I wasn't exactly 'all there' was I."**

**"I guess it's all sorted then, no need for me to go all crazy."**

**"Your crazy anyway, "said Stephanie quietly, although Chris still heard it and glared at her.**

**"So do you mind getting out of my bed then?"**

**"Sorry, but I'm all comfy now." Laughed Stephanie curling up even more.**

**"Fine." Chris said, he grabbed the duvet and being much stronger than Stephanie, he pulled the duvet away from under her, and chucked it away.**

**"That was a little mean." She whined as she brushed herself off.**

**"I don't care, now just shut up, we've only got like five more hours to go, so I just want to be left alone and not having to stay at you whining face all the time."**

**"You are the only one who is whining Chris, you're the one who can't handle it not me."**

**"I can handle it, you don't have a clue what you're talking about." Chris said, he sat down and slumped against the wall, picking his familiar piece of chalk and throwing up and down in his hand.**

**"You know what I think."**

**"I don't know and I don't care."**

**"I think the only reason your scared is because when I kissed you last night, you liked it and took advantage and now you have realised that I didn't mean it, your embarrassed because you have feelings for me and you can't admit them as it will make you look weak."**

**"Now your just embarrassing yourself, " laughed Chris, but although Stephanie didn't pick up on it there was a sense of hurt in his voice as if there was a matter of truth in what she was saying.**

**"But I don't give a damn, because you just stay angry and throw your stupid chalk, because when we get out of here I won't ever have to talk or even see you ever again! And believe me it will be the happiest day of my life."**

**"Hey, that goes both ways sweetheart, locked in here with you is enough for anyone to go crazy."**

**There was silence once more and Stephanie's throat started to tingle as she had shouted for so long, it had wore her out. Not looking at Chris, she walked over to the sun-dial, it was nearly seven, five hours to go until once again they were reunited with freedom, nothing much had probably happened in the real-world, but it had been a rollarcoaster here, and she knew that she wasn't just mad at Chris, she was mad and scared at this whole situation. It wasn't his fault.**

**"I'm sorry."**

**Stephanie looked round in surprise to hear the words come solely and unaided out of Chris' mouth.**

**"Did you just say that?**

**"Who else is in here."**

**"I'm sorry too." She replied, they were looking at each other, not sure what the next step would be, when people said sorry they normally reconciled with a hug or kiss, but as they stood there they wasn't sure whether they were ready for that step.**

**"Oh for Gods Sake." Stephanie said jokingly as she walked over and put her arm over Chris shoulder as she patted him on the back, whilst she briefly put her head on his shoulder.**

**As she pulled apart, a small smile came across Chris' face.**

**"There all probably have a field day out there, I mean first we kiss, and then a hug, they probably think they've succeeded." Joked Chris, but a part of the joke was a question. Had they succeeded?**

**"In their dreams." Muttered Steph.**

**"Yeah, I hate you more than ever!"**

**"Ill vouch for that."**

**Stephanie sat down a few metres away from Chris, looking at the blue sky through the small and barred window. She briefly looked over at Chris, as he threw his chalk in the air once more. It was a comfortable silence and in that moment, Steph however little and however deep in her heart, she began to gain a little likeness and respect for Chris. I mean, you gotta remember at the moment he was the only other person who sharing this experience, the one thing they had in common and they just fought about it but in a way it was fun, and if you can't find fun in this, then what's the point.**

**"What are you looking at?" asked Chris noticing she had staring at him for a while now.**

**"Nothing." She said, blushing as she did so.**

**"So……why the hell would you start talking about porridge?" Chris inquired as Stephanie just laughed again.**

To be Continued… 


	12. This is not a Date

**Panic Room.**

**This is not a date.**

**"So…." Said Chris pausing for a second has he grabbed Stephanie's attention. "How are you going to spend your money?"**

**"I don't know," she wondered. "I haven't really thought about it."**

**"Oh please, we've had an awful lot of thinking time in here, it must have crossed your mind."**

**"Well I suppose I would spend it on a holiday, some new clothes, jewellery, there's this lovely tiffany necklace…"**

**"Typical." Chris muttered.**

**"What!"**

**"Typical materialistic things, it's not as if you need the money, $500,000 is the amount you might find in an old coat."**

**"Yeah, well what were going to spend it on?"**

**"I don't know."**

**"I'm sure you were going to spend it on typical materialistic things as well."**

**"No I wasn't!" Chris protested, but it was clear to anyone that she had hit the point straight away.**

**"I should have the whole million, really." He moaned.**

**"Sorry, but you can't get rid of me that easily, I'm sticking this out even if it kills me." Stephanie said proudly.**

**"There's no point trying to get you out now anyway, we've only got a few hours left."**

**"Wow, I think it's gone quite quickly." She noted happily.**

**"You kidding me, it feels like a bloody lifetime."**

**Stephanie was about to answer but she was cut short when a new and curious sound was heard outside the room.**

**"Is that footsteps?" She said quietly, looking over to the large steel door.**

**"Shhhh." Chris said, crawling over towards the door, as they waited tensely for any new movement. A few moments later footsteps were heard approaching the door and a hint of excitement filled her body as the anticipation grew.**

**"Do you think it could be food?" She asked, Chris just glared at her as he tried to listen more.**

**The person stopped outside the floor and placing in the small gap between the door and the floor, a plate was passed through and it took a few moments for Chris and Steph to realise that food lay on the plate in the form of waffles.**

**"Finally, breakfast has arrived!" Chris cheered, grabbing a waffle from the plate and munching at it happily. Stephanie followed with the same action, it had been so long since she had a proper meal, since the last time they ate in here, they ended up just throwing it at each other.**

**They ate in silence, each content with just enjoying that taste of food again and the fulfilment that it gave them.**

**"We've grown up a lot since being in here." Stephanie said as she took another bite of the waffle.**

**"How come?"**

**"The last meal we had, just formed into a food fight and now we'll not mad at each other and we are just eating our food like normal."**

**"Hey, I don't wanna waste this one, I'm starving."**

**"I still think we've got better though."**

**"I suppose so." **

**"Come on , I mean when we first came in here, we wanted to tear each other apart but now, dare I say we could even be friends?"**

**"Ill just say this, what happens in the Panic Room, stays in the Panic Room."**

**Stephanie was a bit disappointed at this, thinking that maybe that saying meant that Chris would still insult her outside of here, but she couldn't be bothered to deal with another confrontation so she grudgingly nodded and continued with her waffle. The waffle was the only thing that mattered at the moment.**

**"Do you think people are watching us?" asked Chris.**

**"No of course not!" Stephanie said in an alarmed manner looking around.**

**"But they must do, else there wouldn't be a point to it and no-one would know what happened."**

**"Please don't talk about it, I don't want to think about that they've seen." Said Stephanie thinking about the sleepwalking incident. **

**"Yeah, I guess so," replied Chris as if he shared the same point of view as her. In the back of his mind though, he hoped that this whole experience was being filmed, he still didn't entirely believe the sleepwalking story.**

**"You know what this reminds me of," said Chris smiling.**

**"Do I dare ask." Stephanie sighed.**

**"Us sitting here like this, reminds me of a date like thing."**

**"You've been on dates!" she laughed, almost choking on her waffle.**

**"Of course I have, of course career comes first, but I've had my fair share of the ladies, believe me."**

**"Well this is definitely not a date, and if it is, it's definitely a nightmare date."**

**"Oh come on, I bet you've had worst," jeered Chris.**

**"Don't count on it."**

**"Ok, fine another question…. how's Hunter in bed?"**

**"Oh my God, you're perverted!" Stephanie gasped, but she was laughing a little at the same time.**

**"Hey, it's a fair enough question."**

**"Not a question you ask on a date."**

**"I thought you said this wasn't a date." grinned Chris.**

**"Oh that's not the point."**

**"So is he good or not, out of 10 if it's easier."**

**"I'm not answering it, end of story."**

**"Oh come on," cooed Chris, egging her on.**

**"Ummmm, fine, 8."**

**"So what makes the whole ten?" said Chris, who knew he was stretching his luck but he was enjoying this at the same time.**

**"Unfornuately for you, I can't tell, its kinda a girl thing."**

**"So?"**

**"Say goodbye to this conversation Chris."**

**"I guess that's why you go elsewhere then."**

**"If I wasn't in such a good mood, I'd slap you one right now." Warned Stephanie.**

**"Why you in such a good mood?"**

**"Because I've eaten, that's why."**

**"Sure it isn't anything else, maybe the person sitting opposite you." He smiled.**

**"Nope, don't see anything there." said Stephanie jokingly, which finalised the conversation as they finidhed their waffles and slid the plates over to the room, hoping they would smash or break against the wall, but no such luck.**

**Stephanie went over to take another regular trip to the sun-dial, it was nearly 8, they had 4 hours left, a warm feeling enveloped as she began thinking of the outside world again, but the two weren't to rest yet, breaking the normal cycle of silence and boredom, footsteps were heard once more.**

**"Do you think we are getting pudding?" asked Chris.**

**"I don't know, I don't think so."**

**They waited in silence as footsteps were heard again, thumping on the ground, the mystery person who had paid his second visit today, kneeled down and instead of a plate slid an envelope through the gap.**

**"Well, what are you waiting for, go get it!" ordered Stephanie, waiting in anticipation.**

**"No, you get it."**

**"No, I asked you first."**

**It as if they were scared of the envelope as they just stood there watching its gleaming white appearance of the dark floor.**

**"Go on," Ushed Stephanie.**

**Chris relunctantly move forward and picked up the envelope slowly and carefully.**

**"What does it say?"**

**"It dosen't I think there's something inside."**

**Stephanie looked eager and excited like a little child with the new found surprise. Chris gingerly ripped open the envelope and pulled a small white piece of paper, with the black typing.**

**Stephanie couldn't read it as Chris held close to his chest as he glanced over the words.**

**"Come on, tell me, what is it?" asked Stephanie impatiently trying to look over Chris' shoulder.**

**"They want us to do a task….in the next two hours." Said Chris turning to Stephanie, watching her reaction.**

To be Continued… 


	13. Everyone likes a competitionright?

**Panic Room.**

**Everyone enjoys a competition-right?**

"Come what is the task?" Stephanie asked impatiently again, as Chris continued to scroll down the piece of paper.

"They want us to paint." Chris said in an annoyed voice. "Of all the things, painting! Hey, that sounds exciting!" Chris said sarcastically, grudgingly passing the paper to Steph to which she decided (just to make it clear to the both of them) to read it out.

Dear Chris and Stephanie.

To pass the time in the next two hours you have been assigned a task by the producers of the show.

"Show! What do they mean show?" asked Chris angrily. "Are we being watched?"

"Chris just let me finish Okay?"

"Fine, I can't believe our stupid this is, we don't need a task, we aint on Big Brother!" shouted Chris into the room. Stephanie wasn't 100% sure who he was talking too, since it was too loud for her but she decided to ignore his outbursts and continued reading aloud.

Your task is that individually you have to paint one side of the room each, one side has to coincide with a heaven theme and the other side to coincide with a hell theme. You have to decide between yourself who does which theme.

You will be provided with a variety of different paints, which you must use.

You have to paint the whole wall within two hours and you are in competition with each other.

The person who produces the best wall, will receive £100 from the other person's winnings.

It will be judged when you leave the Panic Room.

"Is that it then?" asked Chris, hands on hips.

"Yep, that's it, I guess." She replied, she looked around the room. It was a square, which meant that each wall was the same size so no advantage there. No wonder they chose this task.

"Well this is just great, isn't it, could painting be anymore gay."

"Well you would know," snapped back Stephanie, she is getting increasingly annoyed with his negative attitude.

"Awww, the claws are out again I see."

"Look Chris, just decide what you would you look like to do, heaven or hell?"

"Well I don't want to do heaven, painting pixy angels and happy clouds with God smiling at everyone."

"So its hell then?"

"I guess so." He said, he didn't want to either really but he always like the colour red so I guess that was something. "Hey, that means I can draw you in it."

"Your catty remarks just keep getting better and better, don't they." She said sarcastically.

"Your just mad cause you can't beat them." Laughed Chris, walking over towards his supposedly assigned wall. He put his hands on the black stone, imagining the painting he would draw, basically a lot of red paint splashed about. He didn't imagine Stephanie to be a great artist so he didn't need to do much to win. He began thinking about where the hell the paint was and almost on que, a small panel opened up in the steel entrance door and about a dozen cans of paint were passed through along with an egg timer, she began ticking as soon as it entered the room.

"I guess our two hours start now." Muttered Stephanie.

The two have them, walked hurriedly towards the paint, trying to prize them open. Two hours was certainingly not long in an artist's world.

"I'm taking the red." He said, snatching the red can away.

"Oh no! I needed that for all the burning fires in heaven!"

"You might need it you know."

"I think Ill be fine with the white and blue." She replied, giving him a fake smile before grabbing the cans, roller and paintbrush.

"You'd think we'd be getting more money for this, £100 is nothing."

"Well it will be ever more satisfying coming from your winnings." Joked Stephanie as she started her wall, smearing a long roll of white down the wall.

"Consider yourself an artist then Miss McMahon?"

"Your just have to wait and see."

"Oh I will, Ill be the first to gloat when they pronounce me the winner."

"Chris, if you want to increase that probability to 100/1 you better start painting because two hours isn't very long."

"Just watch the master at work," proclaimed Chris as he turned away from Stephanie's smirking face and began his supposedly masterpiece.

It seems the games have began.

Thirty minutes had gone by and the only sound that had been heard was the sound of paint being splashed onto the wall and the occasionally humming of a song. Until now of course, else I wouldn't have chosen this point to begin the story once more.

Stephanie stopped painting for a moment and peered over at Chris and his wall, she smiled to herself before beginning a conversation…

"Struggling are we?" She asked, adding detail to her clouds with a paintbrush.

"No actually, It's going quite well." Replied Chris.

"Oh yeah, well what's that ugly monster thing in the middle?" 

"That's the devil, stupid!"

"Oh I see, the devil." Stephanie sniggered much to Chris' annoyance.

"Well your not going to win by drawing repeatedly stupid little fluffy white clouds all over the place, my painting has substance."

Stephanie just ignored his last comment, but every single insult that came out his mouth just burned constantly inside her and in these conditions she found herself unable to stop lashing out. Now was no exception.

She dipped the paintbrush into the sky-blue paint and she watched as the deep thick colour slid over the brush, and in a moment of what she would later call insanity, she turned round and flicked the brush over towards Chris' wall.  It sprayed across the big monster thing as Chris stared at it in anger and amazement.

"What the hell!" He shouted, turning round to face Stephanie.

"Oh sorry, I just flicked my brush back by mistake."

"But your ruined my painting, its gonna take me ages to redo that!"

"I'm sorry." Stephanie said shrugging her shoulders. She almost got away with it, but as she turned back to the painting, she couldn't help but laugh at Chris' misfortune.

"You bitch!" He snarled grabbing his brush and in retaliation flicked some red paint onto her clouds, which turned a dark pink.

"What are you five?"

"You started it."

"Yeah…well…yeah." Stephanie stammered before flicking the brush again.

Predictably Chris fought back and the next minute found Chris and Stephanie flicking paint, being red and blue, at each other, ruining each-others work with each spray.

Eventually they stopped, exhausted and realising the damage that they have caused. They stood for several minutes looking at the multi-coloured walls.

"Look what you done now." Screamed Stephanie, tears forming in her eyes as she realised that she would have to everything again. "We've only got an hour and a quarter left, I'm never going to get it finished now."

"Well it's your fault, you shouldn't have ruined my devil."

"Well if you stopped insulting me for one second."

"Oh please, you should be use to it by now."

"Well I'm not okay, you asked for it."

"What are we going to do now then? My wall practically ruined, I'm not starting all over again." Chris moaned, staring at it and the amount of paint he had left.

Stephanie sighed, she didn't want to do this but she was the one who had started the fight, it was the right thing to do and maybe, just maybe, Chris might gain some respect for her…

"Okay, what if we work together, Ill help you with your one first and then you help me with mine, we just have to work extra fast and forget the detail, you game?"

"I suppose…I do hate to start something and not finish it."

"Exactly, we might as well try….what else are we going to do?"

Chris picked up the roller and sunk it into the red paint before rolling it over the blue and white. "Come on Steph, I want to see some huge flames around the side by the end, I want the outer edge to be yellow going darker as it goes in, come on get to work else we wont have time for yours, oh and don't you dare try and mess it up so yours will be better, you owe me."

Stephanie just sighed as Chris continued to order her about, but a part of her was happy. I mean it was the first time, they were working as a team…right?

**To be Continued….**


	14. Countdown

**Panic Room.**

**Countdown.**

N.B Thinking about it now, I'm not 100% sure, when this story is set. It's definitely before Chris and Stephanie become business partners in Feb2002, but it's after the whole Alliance thing and Stephanie still married to Hunter, so some time in the period. Nov2001-Feb2002, take your pick!

Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock, Tick Tock, the timer was unrelenting as it began a countdown to the last fifteen minutes of the task. Both competitors, otherwise known as Chris and Stephanie had working hard and surprisingly together for the last hour or so it get these paintings finished. It was a contrast to the beginning of the task, when they started a paint fight, ruining each other's work.

Having finished Chris' hell scene, filled with the menacing looking devil with his bold dark eyes surrounding up pits of burning flames. Chris had 'joked around' as he drew Stephanie being chucked into one of the pits, but this would not stand as Stephanie quietly painted over it. There wasn't time to anger as they moved on, across the room to the heaven scene.

"How long have we got?" asked Stephanie, not taking her eyes off the wall.

"About fifteen minutes."

"Ok, can you finish drawing that woman and do the sky other-there, it looks odd otherwise."

"I've finished the woman anyway, I think she looks lovely." Said Chris proudly, looking at her from a distance.

"She's not finished! She's naked!"

"Oh come on, don't you think they would have naked chicks in heaven?"

"Chris this is my painting and in my heaven, they don't have naked 'chicks'"

"Well I could try a naked man, but it won't be as good…"

"I don't want naked anything! Look just finish the sky, Ill sort it out in a minute." She replied impatiently.

"Do you believe in a heaven and hell?" 

"I don't know, why?"

"Just interested," shrugged Chris as he happily slid his paintbrush, across the top of the wall, spreading bright light blue paint with it. He enjoyed painting. In fact, it was quite relaxing. "Do you believe in reincarnation?"

"I don't know, maybe."

"I guess no-one will now, unless they bring someone back from the dead in like hundreds of years to come, oh here's a question for ya, if you could travel in time, past or future where would you go?" asked Chris enthuastically.

"I don't know, what is it with all these moral questions anyway?"

"Hey, just trying to make conversation." Chris replied innocently.

"Well can't we talk about something else?"

"Ok. I just thought you'd rather talk about something intellectual rather than just wrestling or…"

"I don't mind talking about wrestling." replied Stephanie. "I mean it is the one thing we have in common."

"So…who do you think is the best wrestler?" asked Chris. He knew she wouldn't say him, even if she thought it was true but he asked the question all the same.

"Hunter of course." She replied without a moment's hesitation.

"Oh come on, you don't have to be loyal to your husband the whole time."

"But he is the best wrestler. Full stop."

"Ok, fine second best then?"

"Erm….Kurt Angle."

"Ummm…interesting," laughed Chris. "Still haven't forgotten about him then."

"So what. Are you jealous?"

"No, just making a comment that's all."

"Well it's the comments that get you in trouble. Kurt and I were never more than friends and never will be." She said angrily.

"Hey, I didn't ask, you're the one continuing the subject."

"For Gods Sake, why does every conversation with you have to end up as a argument."

"We'll not arguing."

"Yes we are."

"No we'll not." Chris said indignatedly.

"Yes we are, look, we are arguing right now about whether or not we are arguing or not."

"Now you are just being stupid."

"No I'm not."

"You know Steph, I think you have serious paranoia issues."

"Well I think you have serious being a jackass issues," She sneered back.

"Oh just finish your fully clothed angels, we've got ten minutes left," said Chris in a grumpy tone. He went to look at her but she just turned her head away as she completed the angels. Chris had no choice but to remain quiet and smother his paintbrush in blue paint to finish the mural in time.

Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock, brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggg!

The timer shrieked through the room as the two hours came to a close. Stephanie and Chris hurriedly finished the last bits before putting their paintbrushes down and staring around the room, switching between the two walls as they admired their work.

"So is this it then, what happens now?" asked Stephanie.

"Just wait." He muttered back.

"You know, we could just continue if they don't tell us, they won't know. What's suppose to happen now?"

"Stop being so impatient."

"Well we've done all this work." Moaned Stephanie. "They should tell us whos' won."

"Remember the note, it said they would tell us when we leave."

"Well that's stupid…now we have to wait an hour…"

"Will you stop whining for one second!" shouted Chris, looking down at Stephanie like an evil dictator. Stephanie shrank back at first, but then regained her composure.

"Don't you shout at me like that."

"I can do the hell I want."

Stephanie gasped with annoyance as she paced up and down the room, her heels clicking on the ground, which although small at this time it was annoying enough to send drills through Chris' head. He was about to lose his temper once more, but a loud and domineering suddenly echoed through the room.

**"Thank you for completing the task. The result will be announced once you have left the Panic Room. Please do not touch the remaining paints, rollers or brushes for the reminder of your time here."**

"There you go, there's your answer." Replied Chris. With the task over, he took his familiar position slumped against a wall, this time it was one of the dry ones. Stephanie did the same, and they sat opposite each other. Their expressions and pressures matched to when they first entered the Panic Room. They couldn't stand each other then at the moment they couldn't stand each other now despite previous events.

"Ill be so glad to get out of here." said Stephanie aloud, almost to herself.

Me too, thought Chris to himself rolling his eyes.

"I hate these clothes now, after this I shall never wear them again, it's disgusting, I haven't washed, I'm dying for the toilet but there's no way I'm going through that again."

"How do you think I feel?"

"Yeah…well…what's worst is staying in with you….especially with your stench."

"hey, you stink as well, you can't cover it up with sickening perfume any longer."

"It's better than your bloody aftershave, half time, I'm choking in here."

"I feel like choking in here, every time I hear your screeching voice. You should get that sorted out with a doctor or something."

"You know for this next hour, I wish I was deaf just so I wouldn't to hear your cocky, ugly voice."

"Believe me, I'm thinking the same." Muttered Chris.

They both crossed the arms, grumpy, angry scowls on their faces as they prepared to face their final hour together.

Only one hour to go, an hour to go, an hour to go, an hour to go. Stephanie thought, the words being said over and over in her mind. If they just stayed in silence in silence for the next hour everything would be fine.

It is nearly over.

She could go home and sleep in her own bed.

She'd get to see Hunter again and be in his arms….

She could have a bath, with bubbles and salts and everything…..

She could have a decent meal, with a double chocolate gateau for afters.

And best of all,

She didn't have to spend another minute with that hairy, disgusting caveman opposite her in this godforsaken room.

**To be Continued….**

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	15. The time has come

**Panic Room.**

**The time has come.**

"The time has come to say goodbye…" Chris sang to himself, his finger swirling shapes onto the floor.

"What are you mumbling?" Stephanie said gruffly.

"I'm just singing."

"Well stop it." She pouted, her bottom lip showing.

"You know you remind of a spoilt little five year-old who didn't get any chocolate." 

"Whatever, I've a right to be grumpy if I want, it's a free country, innit?"

"Suppose so." Replied Chris, who equally pouted. "Who are you my mother?"

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"Well can't sing, can't talk, what can I do?"

"Just sit quietly and wait for that door to open." She said, pointing to the entrance. " We've only got like half an hour left, deal with it."

"You know, I'm going to miss you," Chris said sarcastically. "Hunter is a very lucky guy."

"Hunter is a very lucky guy….actually, he's probably missing me like mad."

"Aren't you worried though?"

"Worried about what?" she replied, unsure over where this conversation was going.

"Oh come on, it's so obviously they are taping this."

"And?"

"Well Hunter is going to see the tapes, he's going to see us having food fights, getting close, twister, not forgetting the kiss…."

"I wasn't conscious!" 

"Oh like he's going to believe that, nobody can deny after this that there is something between us, including you."

"Hunter knows me, as soon as I get out of here, Ill tell him what happened and he will see how much I hate you and…and…and..and…"

"Yes?"

"And that I would never kiss or even touch you willingly, sorry Chris but it aint gonna happen."

"Save it for Hunter princess, cause when you go out that door, your marriage is over."

"Once again, your talking out your arse, your pathetic, getting a kick out of TRYING to make my life miserable, you need desperately need to get a life, even a psychatictrist cause this is just obsessive, you just not right in the head."

"Is that what you truly think?" asked Chris.

"Yep, that's exactly what I think, being here just proved it."

"I'm sure your change your mind."

"God, you've got a big head, I will never change my mind, N…E…V…E…R, Never!" Stephanie shouted. "Now leave me alone!"

"Stephanie is going crazy….. Stephanie is going crazy… Stephanie is going crazy." Chris said, saying like a song as he laughed to himself.

"At least I don't talk to a piece of chalk." muttered Steph, under her breath.

"What did you say?" said Chris, his entirely face perking up, a strange look on his face as he began to process the information in his head.

"Nothing, I didn't say anything." She replied, defensively.

"Wait a minute…." Chris stared a Stephanie, a weird expression on his face as he began to come to a conclusion…

"Why are you are looking at me like that?" She said, a worried expression on her face. Chris didn't look angry, she'd seen that expression many a time, it was weird, he almost look possessed….

"I was talking to chalky last night…" Chris said, he crawled over to Stephanie on all fours, and sat beside her. Like an animal, he stared at her face menacingly.

"Chris…you're scaring me." She said quietly as Chris face' leaned all so close they were nearly touching.

"You were totally and utterly conscious weren't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." She stammered, watching his face.

"Yes you do…of course you do….it was only last night after all….I was talking to chalky after you supposedly went to asleep, how would you know about him if you were asleep?"

"I don't know…I just guessed." But her words were not very convincing, even to her.

"You heard me talking about you, saying that stuff about how I might be attracted to you, how I wanted you….and then I went to sleep and you came over, pretended to be sleepwalking and you lay on top of me and you kissed me…"

Stephanie was about to protest, but Chris just put a finger to her lips and smirked in an evil fashion. "And the whole time, you knew exactly what you were doing." He laughed. "Now what were saying about, not wanting to kiss or even touch me?…I think you've kinda ruined that point."

Stephanie didn't what to say, Chris' little outburst and discovery had come so suddenly she didn't know how to deal with it.

"Oh my God, I think I've finally silenced Stephanie McMahon!" Chris happily proclaimed, jumping around the room. "If that isn't my greatest achievement, I don't know what is!" He cheered. "So my little slut, what have you got to say for yourself? Wanted a piece of me did ya? My 'pretty' exterior getting too much for you?"

"Shut up."

"Come on Steph, you do owe me an explanation? It's okay, you can admit it, I don't mind."

"Admit what?"

"That you love me, that you want me…" Chris sang again.

"Big deal, so I came over, we made out for a while, it doesn't mean anything and it didn't mean everything to me either, I was bored and I wanted some fun and by the way you were talking to chalky, I thought you wanted to do it too, I mean you didn't exactly throw me off."

"I can live with that, in fact I want to make it clear to everyone who happens to be listening out there, including Hunter." Chris said, adding the last point directing at Stephanie who flinched at his words. "YOU CAME ON TO ME FIRST, STEPHANIE MCMAHON CAME ON TO ME FIRST!"

"Get over it Chris…when I was kissing you, I was imagining it to be Hunter."

"Wait a sec…did anything happen between us? Did we have sex?"

"No we did not, I would never take it that far, you were half asleep anyway, we made out for a while and then you practically fell asleep on top of me, I tried to get out but you had me kinda trapped….don't I regret that." She explained. "Happy now? Happy you figured it all out."

Chris slumped back down against the wall, a dopey smile on his face. "Yeah, everything's been wrapped up nicely and of course the extra bonus that your marriage is over, he it wasn't over before now, its definitely over now."

Stephanie couldn't deny that. She had just admitted cheating on her husband, Hunter wouldn't stand for that especially when it was with Chris. She sighed loudly, accepting the evitable.

"In consolation, I do have the embarrassment of you overhearing what I said to chalky."

She laughed, remembering his words. "It was kind of sweet, actually, though it was terribly hard trying to stop myself laughing."

"Yeah, that definitely was one of my insane moments."

"Can't judge you, we've all had them in here."

Chris stood up and looked around. "It looks so different with the paintings, the hell one is kind of freaking me out though, imagine that on all the walls, the devil looks like it's following me."

Chris walked over to the sundial by the window and after staring at it for several moments, he gasped in happiness.

"Oh my God."

"What?" asked Stephanie sitting up.

""We've got ten minutes left."

"Really?"

"Yep, it's definitely ten to 12."

"Thank God." Laughed Stephanie. "This is gonna be the longest ten minutes of our lives." 

Forgetting there past differences for that brief moment, they sprang and jumped around happily, eventually hugging quickly as they shared their excitement.

This nightmare stay was nearly over….but a question began to form in her mind as the final minutes ticked by…Had Hunter seen the show? Did she still have a marriage?

Chris and Stephanie waited anxiously by the door, the sundial read 12 o'clock, now they were just waiting. Whilst Chris was just begging to get out, Stephanie was half nervous. She didn't know what Hunter had been thinking over the last 24hrs, in the panic room she was safe, she was innocent and now she was going to have face reality and potentially the consequences of her actions…

Chris heart froze as the sound of footsteps could be heard approaching the door, more and more light splintered through as for the first time in 24 hours the door began to slide open, ever so slowly….

"Oh come on, get me out of here!" Shouted Chris as he practically pulled the door open. When the outside world could been seen, Chris raced outside, cursing several times that he was free. 

Chris leapt upon Shane McMahon who stood by the door,, he hugged him wildly.

"Happy to be out then?"

"Like hell, man, that my friend." He shouted pointing to the room. "Is worse than any wrestling match."

"So what about you and Steph?" Shane asked.

"What that bottom-feeding, trashbag, 2 cent, ho?" Chris laughed.

"No change then."

"I don't what you were trying to get us to do or feel in that room, but whatever it was it hasn't worked, now if you don't mind I feel like going to a bar and getting the last 24hrs back!" cheered Chris. "Does anyone know where to get out of here?" He asked to the people who were standing around. "Hold on mate, you can't go just yet." Said Shane. Chris sat down grudgingly on a sofa although it felt good to be sitting on something soft again, he cheered up of course when someone handed him a beer.

Shane smiled as he saw his sister come out and hugged her warmly.

"I just spoke to Chris."

"I know, I saw."

"Was it really that terrible?"

"Man, you don't want to know." Joked Stephanie. "I'm just glad to be out." She looked past Shane and around the large warehouse. Shane knew exactly whom she was looking for.

"Hunter is waiting outside, he wanted to give you a moment."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"What?"

"Was what happened in the Panic Room being taped? Were there cameras in there?"

Shane was silent for a moment and then very bluntly he replied. "Yes."

"Did you watch it?"

"A bit." He said but Stephanie predicted that he was just being nice.

"Did Hunter watch it?"

"I don't know." Replied Shane.

"Shane, tell me the truth."

"I swear, I don't know, he didn't watch it with me, I tell you that."

"Where is waiting?"

"He's got a limo outside."

"Ok." She said nervously, looking past her brother to the exit.

"Steph….don't worry….you did well."

Depends what you mean by well, thought Stephanie as she walked past Shane towards the exit to see Hunter….

"Hello gorgeous." Declared Hunter as Stephanie walked out of the warehouse.

She warily came towards him as he planted a big kiss on her and wrapped his arms around him, although when he continued to hold her, her nervousness seemed to go away, very slightly.

"I should never have let you go in there." he said.

Oh, here we go, thought Stephanie. This was the moment she had been dreading.

"It must have been horrible, being stuck in there with him, but it's ok cause you didn't quit and you got $500,000!"

"You didn't see it?"

"No, not really, I saw a bit when you were painting this morning, but I didn't want to see it, knowing you were in there and I couldn't see you."

"So you still love me then?" She asked hopefully.

"Of course I do, I love you more than ever and I'm so proud of you." Hunter smiled.

Although a part of her felt a little guilty, she was just so relived that everything was going to be back to normal that she just silenced that part and hoped that she would never have to think about the Panic Room again….things were better left unsaid and things were better left unknown.

"Awwww…reunited at last." Smirked Chris as he walked past the happy couple. Stephanie grew scared, hoping desperately that Chris wouldn't say anything about what happened in there.

"Hunter, I'm very sorry but there's something you don't know…" laughed Chris.

Oh my God, oh my god, thought Stephanie. Please don't say it, please don't say it.

"Stephanie lost the painting competition, they seemed to prefer my devil better so you've only got $490,000, I'm afraid." He smirked.

Steph's heart returned beating to normal as she realised he meant no harm. 

"Get lost Chris, I think Steph seen and heard enough of you for a lifetime." Hunter threatened.

"Don't worry, I'm out of here, that was a experience I DO want to forget, goodbye Hunter, goodbye Steph." Chris said.

"Goodbye Chris." Stephanie mouthed as she watched Chris climb into the back of a limo, she caught his glance and for a brief moment, they stared at each-other, each sensing that they wanted to say more, but what could they say? The only word was goodbye but she wanted something more, but she wasn't sure what….

It was too late though as Chris broke the moment and submerged into the limo as it drove away from the warehouse…

"Come on Steph, let's get back, I've got a surprise for you at home."

"Your not suppose to tell me, else it's not a surprise!" Steph joked.

"Well wait till you see what it is." Said Hunter as he kissed her once more. She had her husband back, her life was perfect again but why was she still thinking of Chris…

To be Continued…… 


	16. What else is there to say?

**Panic Room.**

**What else is there to say?**

**The next day….**

The warehouse was empty. The 'experiment' was over and the everyone, every member of the crew had left and there was an eerie silence all around, the Panic Room door had not been closed and it remained flung open to reveal the dark square room, although it wasn't as dark as when it started because of the paintings which brought a small amount of life into the interior. The bedding and all the other stuff had been taken out, memories of the presence of Chris and Stephanie were quickly being diminished, which was why Chris just wanted one final look….

He walked as quietly as he could into the warehouse, to the entrance of the Panic Room, his feet thumped as he entered a new density and he brushed the steel door with his fingertips. It was weird, he had been so excited about finally getting out that he didn't really have a chance to say goodbye to the room but now he was here, he wondered, what was there to say goodbye to?

Just some painted walls and chalk lines. It didn't mean anything, he had his money that was what it had been for, wasn't it? He looked at the floor, seeing the chalk lines of Steph's sundial and the line, which had drawn to separate them, giving each other 'allocated areas'. They didn't really stick to that., thinking about it. He continued to look along the floor an it is in doing this, he found chalky. Lying in the corner, a bit smaller than he remembered lay a little piece of chalk. He picked up happily and threw it up and down in his hand, reliving the last time he had chalky.

"Hiya mate, I'm guess I'm back." He laughed, walking up and down.  "Not sure why though, I mean it's just a room but man it feels like I've spent a lifetime in here, feels like I'm saying goodbye to an old home, but guess I can go get on with my life now, I am Undisputed Champion after all, Living Legend Chris Jericho, it feels good to say that, I tell you." He joked, throwing it up once more, he thought for a moment looking around the room. "I wonder where Steph is now? Hey chalky? Probably with precious Hunter living her high life."

"Don't count on it," said a different and almost refreshing voice.

Chris turned round and he found himself smiling even though it didn't want to at the sight of Stephanie McMahon.

"Oh my God, is that a smile?" She asked as she stepped into the room towards him.

"No it's a mocking sneer." He said unconvincingly. "Now what the hell you doing here?"

"Probably the same reason as you, to say goodbye."

"So?"

"So…..you and chalky catching up then?"

"Very funny." Chris sneered. "Why aren't you with Hunter?"

"I sneaked out."

"Awww….dangerous." said Chris sarcastically.

"Nothing changed with you then."

"Nope, why would it?"

"Stupid question," muttered Stephanie. "I don't know why, but I think I'm gonna miss this place, it was kinda a laugh, wasn't it?"

"A laugh! You kidding me!" Chris grimaced.

"Oh come on, you must have enjoyed something about it…"

"Pelting you with potatoes was quite good." Laughed Chris, invisuailling the memory in his head.

"Sorry I asked." Stephanie moaned.

"Any other questions?" asked Chris in an annoyed tone.

There was a moment's silence and Chris predicted that Stephanie didn't have any other questions and he began to walk away until her screeching voice was heard once more.

"Actually I do!" She screeched, trying to grab Chris' attention.

"What?"

"Is this it?"

"What do you mean, is this it?"

"What happens with us?"

"Us?"

"For gods sake Chris, what will happen with us? Are we just going to go back to normal, you insulting me every chance you got, sworn enemies forever, hows it going to be?"

"I don't know." Shrugged Chris.

"Have your feelings changed at all?"

"I don't know." Chris replied again. 

"I don't know! What kind of answer is that?"

"Ok, I won't insult you anymore, Ill just carry on my life and you can carry on your life, is that what you want?"

"No." said Stephanie quietly looking down at the floor.

"Well what do you want? For Gods Sake, you know I aint got all day, just tell what you want…" Chris shouted angrily.

"Don't shouting at me!" She shouted back.

"You the one shouting at me!"

"Did you ever think for one minute, that I might have something important to tell you, something that is really hard for me, could you just stop thinking about yourself for one moment….cause for once I just want to have a normal…."

Stephanie was suddenly stopped as Chris put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her straight on the lips, silencing any words that were about to come out. When he finally released, Stephanie just stood there staring at him, utterly speechless.

"Well that shut you up." Said Chris. He waited till Stephanie's face relaxed and then he asked, "Now, answer the question, what do you want?"

Chris already knew the answer, which was why he kissed her. But he wanted to hear it from her, just so his feelings could be confirmed, because he knew he felt the same way.

"I want you." She said quietly.

"I kinda guessed that." Said Chris looking at her.

"That's romantic" said Stephanie sarcastically. "So did you feel the same way?"

"Steph do you really see us as a couple?"

"I know we are like total opposites, and you annoy the hell out of me and I know we argue all the time but…."

"There's no-one I wouldn't rather argue with." Said Chris completing her sentence.

They kissed and embraced once more, together they had that raw passion and connection that neither of them had left before and they didn't want to let go.

"Your such a slut." Chris joked. "But a good slut."

"So how am I'm going to tell Hunter…"

"We'll think of something." Replied Chris. "The question is….how are the rest of the world going to react?"

"Oh I think it was obvious from the start,  it just took us the Panic Room figure it out. In fact that's probably why they did in the first place, god I hate it when there right, they are all gonna feel so smug that they…"

"Don't you ever shut up?" asked Chris, he was only joking of course as he smiled at his true love.

"On occasions," smirked Stephanie. She nearly pushed him to the floor as she jumped up, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him happily once more….

**The End.**


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